AT&T Says Their Rep Doesn't Want To Die

By Ben PopkenNovember 19, 2009

AT&T is very concerned that you know the TRUTH about the chat transcript from yesterday’s “AT&T Rep Wants To Die” post that we picked up after hit the front page of Digg. They say the screengrab is “doctored” and “fraudulent.” We say, who cares? It’s a hilarious online pass-around that any normal internet user would takes with a grain of salt. By the time we had picked it up, it was already old news. In any event, they provided us with the REAL conversation between rep Darlene and customer Robert:

“[13:14:24] Darlene: I apologize for the problem. Please contact an AT&T Wireless representative at 1.800.331.0500. Unfortunately I do no have access to that service.

[13:15:15] robert XX: i’ll just jump off a bridge.

[13:17:15] Darlene: I’ll be right with you.

[13:17:39] robert XX: lol

[13:18:46] Darlene: I apologize. They will be happy to assist you at that number.

[13:27:38] Darlene: It has been my goal to provide you with OUTSTANDING service and that you are VERY SATISFIED with the way I’ve handled your request. In addition to the survey link at the end of this chat, you may receive a call asking about the level of service I have provided. I hope that you are VERY SATISFIED with my service today. Thank you for choosing AT&T!

[13:35:06] Darlene: Thank you for contacting AT&T. Please use the CLOSE button when you are ready to exit our chat session.

[13:49:37] Darlene: I haven’t heard from you in awhile. Do you wish to continue this chat?

[13:56:58] Darlene: I am ending this chat session since I have not heard from you. If you wish to chat with AT&T again, please open a new chat session. We look forward to serving your needs now and in the future.

[13:57:13] info: Thank you for chatting with us. Please click the “Close” button on the top right of the chat window to tell us how we did today.”

AT&T PR guy said in the email that accompanied this:

You were given a doctored screen grab – here is the actual transcript of the conversation.

Note the time stamps – the “I’ll be right with you” came exactly two minutes after the last interaction. She was saying she’d be with him in a minute b/c it had been a little while. I believe that might actually be automated response if there’s a two minute lull in the chat. In any event, what you guys were handed was not reality.

PR guy misses the point. It didn’t hit the front page of Digg and get passed around and hit the front pages of other large sites because it was a source document, it was because it was funny. It doesn’t matter if it was “true,” it spoke the truth, the truth being that AT&T customer service, and indeed, a lot of customer service these days, has the tendency to be comically inept. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go factcheck some lolcats. I know for a fact that there is no way that cat is riding an invisible bicycle.